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Unit plan: Planning for cow movement through an automatic milking system
Overview
Students use information about an new Automated Milking System to design the layout of their own farm. Two-dimensional
drawings are processed to make three-dimensional models of the layout.
Purpose
To think about how to set up an automatic milking system by integrating knowledge of the farm technology with knowledge of
cow behaviour.
At a more advanced level, children could construct a farm model using electronics and link it into Electronics and Control
technology.
Background
Suggestions for a scenario
Your group has been given a basic plan of a dairy farm. The farmer has recently installed an automatic milking system similar
to the one at the Greenfield project. Your job is to decide on the layout of the farm. Where will you build the races, fences,
water troughs and selection unit(s) in relation to the dairy shed? You will need to think about how to get the cows to go to the
dairy on their own.
Make a model of your farm layout and show how your cows will move through the milking process.
Where's the Biotechnology?
A traditional definition of biotechnology is to use living organisms to produce products of use to people. However, biotechnology
can also be considered to be the use of biological knowledge to inform technological developments. In the case of automatic
milking systems, the interaction between the animal and technology is considered. How can the technology be adjusted to best
suit the cow? How can cow behaviour be managed to work within the constraints of the technology? It is important to
understand how the cow and the technology can best work together to produce the product, milk. There is also the possibility
of using the technology to process the milk while it is being collected.
©2005-2009 The University of Waikato
www.biotechlearn.org.nz
Home > Focus stories > Robotic milking > Planning for cow movement through an automatic milking system
Curriculum focus
Technology
Strand A: Children will explore the technology of an automatic milking system, identifying and depicting how the components
are linked.
Strand B: After gathering information and identifying needs and opportunities, children will discuss possible solutions and
strategies and then select and develop a suitable option. They will prepare a plan of action, collect required resources, present
a plan and model of a farm, and communicate ideas to others.
Strand C: The children will identify and consider the positive and negative aspects of an automatic milking system from the
perspective of the farmer and the cows.
Science
L2: AO4
Children will consider the responses of animals to environmental changes in their habitats.
L3: AO4
Children will explain where and how cows live.
Focus of skill & strategy
Although a number of students will be familiar with the dairy farm, others will not. A visit to an ordinary dairy farm will expose
the students to the milking process and to the behaviour required of the cows. Students should then explore robotic milking
(see focus story).
A visit from a dog handler could provide a focus for animal behaviour and how animals learn. A plan of the Greenfield farm
when it was first set up can be used to introduce discussions on selection units, races, and one-way gate systems. Students can
then plan their own farms in groups, producing simple farm models showing cow movement to and from the robotic milking
machines. Role modelling during this process could help them sort out their ideas. Students will also develop skills to consider
the ethical issues associated with using technology to manage cow behaviour.
©2005-2009 The University of Waikato
www.biotechlearn.org.nz
Home > Focus stories > Robotic milking > Planning for cow movement through an automatic milking system
Resources
Student activity: Action planner for an automatic milking system
Student activity: Automatic milking system round robin
Student activity: Farm plan for an automatic milking system
Health and Safety
Visits to farms should include safety consideration with regard to farm equipment and machines. Clothing and footwear should
be appropriate. As docile as cows may seem, they are not pets and have the potential to harm. Children should not approach
them.
©2005-2009 The University of Waikato
www.biotechlearn.org.nz
Home > Focus stories > Robotic milking > Planning for cow movement through an automatic milking system
UNIT PLAN: PLANNING COW MOVEMENT THROUGH AN AUTOMATIC MILKING SYSTEM
Suggested learning intentions
Suggested learning experiences
The following learning experiences will provide you with
starting points for an exploration of this topic. You may
decide to narrow your focus to one component, or
include most of the ideas in a unit that incorporates
science and/or technology themes.
Understanding the milking
system.
An introduction to cows and the
way they behave on a farm as
part of the automatic milking
system (AMS).
Understanding the scenario and
identifying the information that is
needed to solve the problem
©2005-2009 The University of Waikato
www.biotechlearn.org.nz
Introduction
 Discussion on where milk comes from (have a
carton of milk available).
 Brainstorm what the children already know about
the production process (have pictures available).
 Visit a dairy farm. Focus on the cows’ behaviour.
Ask the farmer questions about how they gets
the cows to the shed. Ask about the
temperament and nature of cows, etc.
 Farmers (students’ parents) could visit to tell
stories about ‘clever’ cows and other quirks in
cow behaviour (e.g., having preferred
companions).
 Watch a video of the milking process, focusing
on the behaviour of the cow(s).
Introduce the scenario and prepare for action.
 Read out scenario.
 Brainstorm what do need to find out? (What is
an AMS? What is the Greenfield project? How is
ordinary farming different? What are cows like?
How do you train cows?).
Possible
teaching/assessment
activities
Class brainstorm
Farm visit
Interviewing farmers
Work as part of a group to
develop an action plan
Home > Focus stories > Robotic milking > Planning for cow movement through an automatic milking system
Begin working on an action plan in groups of 3-5. What
needs to be done first? Get student activity: Action
planner for an automatic milking system
Understanding the key
components of an automatic
milking system
Exploring ways in which animal
behaviour might be manipulated
Developing students’ own ideas
for a farm model using a plan,
role play and constructing the
model.
©2005-2009 The University of Waikato
www.biotechlearn.org.nz
Developing expertise
 Study automatic milking at the Greenfield Project
farm. Get focus story: Robotic milking
 Look at the videos on the cow behaviour. How
does it differ from the behaviour of cows on the
farm that was visited?
 Have a dog handler visit the class with a trained
dog. Children see what the dog is able to do.
Discuss the dog’s training with the handler. Are
all dogs the same to train?
 In small groups use role play to understand the
use of incentives. One person has to read a very
boring story. How will the others in the group
entice that child to read? They could try different
incentives, e.g. spinach, apple, lollies etc.
Discuss what worked for that person. How might
a cow be encouraged to do something they may
not be so keen to do?
 Look at a original farm plan of the Greenfield
project. Get student activity: Farm plan for an
automatic milking system

Discuss where the cows would have to go and
what they would have to be trained to do. Also
discuss how they might be trained.
Taking action
 Individually or in groups, children use a basic
farm plan showing topography and the position
of the milking shed to design and draw a simple
farm layout of their own. They should show the
races, fences, and at least one selection unit.
They also need to consider the terrain and
Using the Biotechnology Learning
Hub.
Problem solving using role play.
Considering cow movement
within an automatic milking
system.
Design a written plan of the farm
and use role play to consider
problems that may arise with the
proposed farm layout
Make a model of the farm
Home > Focus stories > Robotic milking > Planning for cow movement through an automatic milking system


Animal welfare must be
considered in the development
and implementation of an
automatic milking system on
farms.
©2005-2009 The University of Waikato
www.biotechlearn.org.nz
walking distances.
The group decides on a farm plan and use role
play to visualise it. They could make paddocks
and races with chairs in the classroom and have
some of their group as the cows. The others
could work out where they wanted the cows to
go, what gates they would need, and what the
cows would be required to do.
The group makes a model from the plan.
Children will need to decide on the materials
they need and add them to the Action Planner.
They could include cardboard, plasticine, match
sticks, toy cows, etc. The group should consider
where the cows need to go and how they will get
there (what gates they will go through etc), what
incentives could be used, and where they would
put them. The incentives could be displayed as
well.
Considering the ethics
 From a cow’s point of view, what are the good
things about living on a farm? (Protection, food,
vet assistance, wouldn’t exist unless on a farm).
What are the bad things? (Lameness from long
periods of waiting at the dairy, mastitis,
boredom – how could you tell?). See the news
article: Tips for reducing a painful problem for
cows.
 Using the format of a Automatic milking system
round robin make a list of consequences that the
farm plan would have for the cows and the
people involved. Get student activity: Automatic
milking system round robin
 In groups, using a PMI, look at the
consequences and decide on the benefits (Plus),
harm (Minus) and anything Interesting (that
Present the model to an
audience, explaining cow
movement
Write a summary of what the
cows would need to do and how
they would be trained
Home > Focus stories > Robotic milking > Planning for cow movement through an automatic milking system
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©2005-2009 The University of Waikato
www.biotechlearn.org.nz
might be worth investigating) in them.
As a class, discuss the rights of the cow and of
the farmer. Are the rights of the cow affected in
your project? (for example the cow’s right to
behave in a natural manner). Are the rights of
the farmer affected? (for example the right to
make their own decisions about how they work
their farm).